Knipex vs Snap-On

[Adam.C]

I think the bigger point of this thread is to use tools suited to your job. Knipex and Snap on both are a cut above other pliers outhere. They have good desigsn tailored to modern work. Its up to the OP buy the right SKUs to make a useful tool kit.

I appreciate the bigger picture point here, and not to beat a drum, but I've yet to see a KNIPEX pliers that's better than Snap On. And I think I prefered my craftsman pros to KNIPEX.

If a person can afford Snap On pliers, I think they are the best and I'd recommend them. If one can't afford them, I'd honestly look at those Craftsman Pro, Channel locks, and others before knee jerking to KNIPEX.

I would HIGHLY recommend that every homeowner have a set of cobras and a plier wrench in the kitchen junk drawer at least. I think KNIPEX snap ring pliers are the best I've used. Snap On may even rebrand them?? I don't care for the sheet metal snap ring pliers.

 

[Jacobson]

Which is most used for automotive?
I never seem to use pliers.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Oh my god. Thread ruined. Please close down immediately.

 

[BFHtime]

I think Knipex excels with their pliers wrench. I like channel lock water pump pliers better than cobras, because channel locks are more rigid, and don't bend when twisted like cobras do. Cobras are smaller, but channel lock makes small sets too. Snap-On talon grips really bite into metal. The 3 step slip joint pliers are fantastic, as are the high leverage pliers that have 2 steps. Snap-on cutters and crimpers are good maybe not the best. The lineman's I have pair of craftsman that were black and gold that are definitely better. I do not have many pairs lineman pliers, I admit.

Bottom line knipex pliers wrench, is there must have tool. Snap-On makes most things better than most.

 

[R.Anderson]

Oh my god. Thread ruined. Please close down immediately.

I sense much **** hurt in this post. Why? Because you are losing your fight about Olafur saying Knipex are far better? I do not see one post of his in this thread saying what you claim he has posted. Quit your darn whining.


Knipex Cobras are darn good.
Knipex Water pump pliers are darn good.
Knipex adjustable pliers wrench awesome.

Far has other pliers and cutters I'll go with other brands. Snap on, USA made craftsman, Klein, and some other brands I can not think of at the moment.

One thing I some times do is customize needle nose and duck bill pliers for wire work and electronics. I heat and bend desired plier tip and heat treat. After heat treatment I grind, sand, and or polish up the pliers to desired finish. One pair I even milled in a grove to bend wire when I was making rodent spring traps.

 

[d.mcfarland]

Actually because another poster showed up. I see you're a knipex fan though...


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[Hiball]

Actually because another poster showed up. I see you're a knipex fan though...


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No worries.. I got who you where referencing. Lol

On a side Note, I sure am glad my tools don't come with disclaimers that you must defend there honor at all costs across the internet. I have no doubt that Knipex pliers are good, I honestly prefer Snap On simply for the cushioned grips they have, but before some one comes in here and accuses me of having a hurt ****. It's ok that we all use a variety of tool brands, I seriously doubt there are many here who strictly have 1 particular brand in there arsenal.

 

[R.Anderson]

Actually because another poster showed up. I see you're a knipex fan though...



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Ok.

You say that as if that is a bad thing. I like those three, I personally do not want any other current knipex tools, they just do not serve or meet my needs(quality mainly)

 

[ssdave]

I have both. I'm cheap, and buy a lot of my stuff second hand. I pay retail routinely for Snap on pliers and Knipex pliers. Both are excellent.

I prefer Snap-on slightly. Think (maybe???) they are slightly better. Their ease of warranty wins for me, particularly as one application I use pliers for eats them up. (cutting and bending hardened wire). Snap-on diagonal cutters are the only ones that hold up. I haven't had to warranty one yet, but my driver told me he would unquestionably warranty them if the wire either nicked or wore them out.

I use Knipex for a bending operation on that wire, because Snap-on doesn't make a plier the size I need. I've got a pair of Knipex about 60% worn out in less than a year; the unknown brand (probably german) ones I used before the Knipex lasted about 6 or 8 years. I've tried several other brands of pliers and cutters, some of them lasted less than a day.

So: I'm inconclusive, but as I said I like both. They both wear and work much better than many other brands I've used. I was a believer in Klein before I had to switch to Snap-on to handle the hard wire that even blue handle Klein wouldn't cut. I can't directly compare the Knipex and Snap-on in the hard service I use them for because they don't make comparable pliers; I'm stuck using some of each brand. So, I'm glad that both are available.

 

[M6erfan]

My toolbox has Craftsman Professional USA, Craftsman France, Knipex, Keiba, Channelock. I've never thought, using any of them, "wow, these things are garbage!". I have my preferences but they all do their respective jobs very well.

 

[d.mcfarland]

The one thing we all left out is the variable is that we all "feel" the tool differently. My hand isn't your hand and the way I hold it or use it isn't the same either. That goes a long ways I'm sure in determining which pliers we like best.


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[PBCampbell]

Also left out is how the tool (plier) is being used. I discovered Knipex over a decade ago and have come to favor their wide variety and quality, but they are not the only brand in my toolbag. I don't own any Snap-on pliers, but I imagine they are well suited for automotive repair, perhaps moreso than any other brand for that endeavor. That isn't a condemnation of Knipex, Western Forge, Klein, or Channellock, as there are much more uses for pliers outside of Automotive repair.

 

[Loscaldazar]

What are snap on cutting pliers rated for? I know most Knipex cutters are rated for piano wire (of varying thickness depending on the model).

 

[d.mcfarland]

The Snap On cutters are not rated as highly as that I don't believe. I've read on here that some people have even gone as far as testing them. KCTYPHON?

 

[ssdave]

What are snap on cutting pliers rated for? I know most Knipex cutters are rated for piano wire (of varying thickness depending on the model).

I use them on piano wire all the time, with no apparent damage or unwarranted wear. They are the only ones I have tried on piano wire that have held up. To be fair I haven't tried Knipex. The dealer I asked about them told me they wouldn't warranty them if they wore out or chipped using them to repetitively cut piano wire. The ones they showed me also had a coarse angle, and wouldn't cut nearly as flush as the SO. SO told me the would warranty, and they cut close. So I tried the SO and they have worked great.

 

[Adam.C]

My toolbox has Craftsman Professional USA, Craftsman France, Knipex, Keiba, Channelock. I've never thought, using any of them, "wow, these things are garbage!". I have my preferences but they all do their respective jobs very well.

Out of respect for you and not to feed our resident troll, I mostly use needle nose and duckbills for automotive work, most typically dealing with springs on brakes and other similar stuff.

The VW I was working on had a large spring on the outboard caliper to hold the brake pad. Removing this is easy. Get a screw driver and ka JOING, go find it. Putting it back on on the other hand- that's where you need a good pair of pliers. The Talon grip pliers are probably designed around this sort of application. Without them, you drop the spring just as you are about to get it in the hole, the pliers slip, you need a death grip etc.

Something like a Cobra or a normal slip joint plier doesn't work because the spring slips and aligns itself with the coarse teeth in the pliers' jaws and you lose control.

For me, I rely on a couple SUPER nice pliers to get me out of these sorts of jams. The 96CF Talon grip needle nose are probably the best pliers for automotive work made. A close second are the 61ACP duck bills.

 

[6PTsocket]

Out of respect for you and not to feed our resident troll, I mostly use needle nose and duckbills for automotive work, most typically dealing with springs on brakes and other similar stuff.

The VW I was working on had a large spring on the outboard caliper to hold the brake pad. Removing this is easy. Get a screw driver and ka JOING, go find it. Putting it back on on the other hand- that's where you need a good pair of pliers. The Talon grip pliers are probably designed around this sort of application. Without them, you drop the spring just as you are about to get it in the hole, the pliers slip, you need a death grip etc.

Something like a Cobra or a normal slip joint plier doesn't work because the spring slips and aligns itself with the coarse teeth in the pliers' jaws and you lose control.

For me, I rely on a couple SUPER nice pliers to get me out of these sorts of jams. The 96CF Talon grip needle nose are probably the best pliers for automotive work made. A close second are the 61ACP duck bills.

Does that spring hook to a post? Back when drum brakes were rhe norm, there was special tool for stretching brake springs. It was a bent handle ending in a partial socket with a groove on the outside. It pried the the spring on to the post and rotated out from under the spring.Worked like a champ and was cheap ad low tech. I still have it.

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[Coolabah]

Out of respect for you and not to feed our resident troll, I mostly use needle nose and duckbills for automotive work, most typically dealing with springs on brakes and other similar stuff.

The VW I was working on had a large spring on the outboard caliper to hold the brake pad. Removing this is easy. Get a screw driver and ka JOING, go find it. Putting it back on on the other hand- that's where you need a good pair of pliers. The Talon grip pliers are probably designed around this sort of application. Without them, you drop the spring just as you are about to get it in the hole, the pliers slip, you need a death grip etc.

Something like a Cobra or a normal slip joint plier doesn't work because the spring slips and aligns itself with the coarse teeth in the pliers' jaws and you lose control.

For me, I rely on a couple SUPER nice pliers to get me out of these sorts of jams. The 96CF Talon grip needle nose are probably the best pliers for automotive work made. A close second are the 61ACP duck bills.

Ha ! Yes , unfortunately any post mentioning Snap On seems to eventually go astray.

As an Aussie, and please excuse my rough and ready viewpoint: we don't get any locally made tools anymore. We have to pay a huge $ premium for pretty much anything of quality.
I use pliers HEAPS and have a stupidly excess quantity of them of all sorts of sizes , brands, shapes and for uses from electrical to automotive to fine jewellery- Chanellock , Snap-on , Knipex , NWS , Klein, Sidchrome , and some others too I'm sure. ALL of them are better than the cheap no-name brands from China IMHO. I think it is silly to try and say "Knipex is best" or "Snap on is best" as , IMHO , everyone will find they prefer a particular plier for a particular job. If someone said to me "You can only have one brand of plier/tool" i would tell them to futter off- please excuse the gaelic. The whole premise of the argument is flawed logic - sorry OP ! My 2 cents !

 

[BajaBound]

My knipex stuff has been great. I do not currently own any snapon pliers but I am always looking for great tools.

 

[cliftonbros89]

I have several Snap On pliers. I really like them all. I really like the retaining ring pliers. They're great. I like the side cutters. But I also have a pair of Klein side cutters I use more. I also like my needle nose.

As far as Knipex goes I don't have a lot. But what I do have I like. I have the mini bolt cutters and they've been great too. I do plan to get some more Knipex, mainly the hose pliers and things like that. I've always heard so much good I'll probably invest in some.

I can't say I'd take one over the other. I haven't used everything that either company makes. But they both have certain things I really like. But I can't stick with just one brand either. I have several brands on pliers. Just because there's certain pairs from certain brands that I like. One example being the snipe needle nose pliers from Channellock. Grip great, fit in tight spots, inexpensive. They've been getting used more than any of my needle nose lately.


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[Jacobson]

The 96CF Talon grip needle nose are probably the best pliers for automotive work made. A close second are the 61ACP duck bills.

Are the 96CF just basically a standard needlenose?

 

[T45]

Are the 96CF just basically a standard needlenose?

They are the 'plain' version of the talon grips. They don't have wire-cutters. As a result, they is less to go wrong, and they are reasonble in cost.

 

[Durail]

So snap on and knipex seem to be around the same price these days down under. As much as I love my big knipex side cutters they seem to need the same amount of effort as my normal sorta medium size S/O side cutter's. And I had to replace the knipex ones recently because I lost them and it's the same deal. Bit what really put me off the knipex band waggon was their needle knows pliers. The talon grip is retardedly good. Even if ridges / teeth seem to wear a bit more than the equivalent knipex they still perform just as good. But the knipex needle nose pliers are ****. They bend and twist just as much and as easy as the cheap ones from my first tool kit :/

And I honestly didn't want to end up having to go s/o for pliers as well. But they're so much more ridged. Plus you get the talon grip. And they're clear coated now. And I personally can't stand rusty tools.


But being said knipex specialising in pliers still have a good line up of stuff you'll buy hands down. I still feel the side cutters are better. The cobra and raptor grips ect.

But snap on needle nose, duck bill, and the slip joint pliers I doubt you'll find much else to compare.


The s/o linesman pliers are awesome. But the jaw style and position of the cutting edge. I much prefer knipex style for 80% of general use. But the tallon grip in the s/on ones and how good the cutting side of it is when you need it sort of makes up for it. Just gotta be careful you don't actually cut something you're trying to grapple